Debra Hill
| birth_place = Haddonfield, New Jersey, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S. | occupation = Film producer, screenwriter | years_active = 1972–2005 }} Debra Hill (November 10, 1950 – March 7, 2005) was an American film producer and screenwriter, best known for producing various works of John Carpenter. She also co-wrote four of his films: Halloween, The Fog, Escape from New York and Escape from L.A. They also wrote and produced Halloween II together, which Carpenter did not direct. Early life Hill was born in Haddonfield, New Jersey and grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.via Associated Press. "Debra Hill, 54, Film Producer Who Helped Create 'Halloween,' Dies", The New York Times, March 8, 2005. Accessed December 18, 2007. "Born in Haddonfield, N.J., Ms. Hill grew up in Philadelphia." In 1975 she started as a production assistant on adventure documentaries, and progressed through jobs as a script supervisor, assistant director and second unit director. Hill first worked with John Carpenter in 1975, as the script supervisor and assistant editor of Assault on Precinct 13. This led not only to further professional collaborations between Hill and Carpenter, but also marked the beginning of their personal relationship. Career In 1978, she and director Carpenter co-wrote the horror movie Halloween. Following its success, Hill and Carpenter worked together on Halloween II (1981) and Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982). Their other credits together include: The Fog (1980), Escape from New York (1981) and its sequel, Escape from L.A. (1996). In 1986, Hill formed an independent production company with her friend Lynda Obst. Together, they produced Adventures in Babysitting, Heartbreak Hotel, and The Fisher King. In 1988, she entered a contract with Walt Disney Pictures under which she produced Gross Anatomy, short films for the Walt Disney theme park, and an NBC special for Disneyland's 35th anniversary. She also produced The Dead Zone (1983), Head Office (1985), and Clue (1985). She was honored by Women in Film in 2003 with the Crystal Award. She recalled the transition from being called "sweetheart" and "darling" in her early years as a producer to the respectful "ma'am" many years later on the DVD commentary for Escape From New York with production designer Joe Alves.DVD feature length commentary for Escape From New York Health Despite being diagnosed with cancer in February 2004, Hill continued to work on several projects. She worked with John Carpenter and actor Kurt Russell on a comic adaptation of the Snake Plissken character as well as a proposed Snake Plissken video game. She reunited with Carpenter to produce the remake of The Fog. At the time of her death in 2005, she was working on the Oliver Stone film World Trade Center. After her death, Carpenter told Associated Press working with Hill was "one of the greatest experiences of my life – she had a passion for not just movies about women or women's ideas but films for everybody". Filmography Producer *''World Trade Center'' (2006) (producer) *''The Fog'' (2005) (producer) *''Crazy in Alabama'' (1999) (producer) *''Chow Bella'' (1998) (executive producer) *''Escape from L.A.'' (1996) (producer) *''Rebel Highway'' (1994) (TV series) (9 episodes) (producer) *''Cool and the Crazy'' (1994) (TV) (producer) *''Jailbreakers'' (1994) (TV) (producer) *''Dragstrip Girl'' (1994) (TV) (producer) *''Shake, Rattle and Rock!'' (1994) (TV) (producer) *''Girls in Prison'' (1994) (TV) (producer) *''Runaway Daughters'' (1994) (TV) (producer) *''Motorcycle Gang'' (1994) (TV) (producer) *''Confessions of a Sorority Girl'' (1994) (TV) (producer) *''Roadracers'' (1994) (TV) (producer) *''Reform School Girl'' (1994) (TV) (producer) *''Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman'' (1993) (TV) (producer) *''The Fisher King'' (1991) (producer) *''Disneyland's 35th Anniversary Special'' (1990) (TV) (producer) *''Gross Anatomy'' (1989) (producer) *''The Lottery'' (1989) (producer) *''Heartbreak Hotel'' (1988) (producer) *''Big Top Pee-wee'' (1988) (producer) *''Adventures in Babysitting'' (1987) (producer) *''Head Office'' (1985) (producer) *''Clue'' (1985) (producer) *''The Dead Zone'' (1983) (producer) *''Halloween III: Season of the Witch'' (1982) (producer) *''Halloween II'' (1981) (producer) *''Escape from New York'' (1981) (producer) *''The Fog'' (1980) (producer) *''Halloween'' (1978) (producer) Writer *''Escape from L.A.'' (1996) (screenplay) *''Jailbreakers'' (1994) (TV) (screenplay) *''Confessions of a Sorority Girl'' (1994) (TV) (teleplay) *''Rebel Highway'' (1994) (TV series) (1 episode) *''Halloween II'' (1981) (screenplay) *''The Fog'' (1980) (screenplay) *''Halloween'' (1978) (screenplay) Miscellaneous crew *''Tales from the Mist: Inside 'The Fog''' (2002) (V) (archival material) *''Satan's Cheerleaders'' (1977) (script supervisor) *''Assault on Precinct 13'' (1976) (script supervisor, assistant editor) *''Goodbye, Norma Jean'' (1976) (script supervisor) *''The Streets of San Francisco'' (1972) (TV series) (script supervisor) (unknown episodes) Director *''Dream On'' (1990) (TV series) (unknown episodes) *''Monsters'' (1988) (TV series) (unknown episodes) Actress *''Escape from New York'' (1981) – Computer voice *''The Fog'' (1980) (uncredited) – Extra in benediction scene *''Halloween'' (1978) – Young Michael Myers' hands grabbing the knife out of the kitchen drawer and adult Michael Myers standing outside of Lindsey Wallace's house. References External links * *Halloween writer Debra Hill dies * Category:1950 births Category:2005 deaths Category:Film producers from Pennsylvania Category:Screenwriters from Pennsylvania Category:People from Haddonfield, New Jersey Category:Writers from Philadelphia Category:American screenwriters Category:Deaths from cancer in California Category:Screenwriters from New Jersey Category:American film producers Category:Film producers from New Jersey